Extractor



' Oct. 13; 1931.

w. A. RICE EXTRACTOR Filed June 22. 1929 mm ZW Patented Oct. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES WILLIAM A. RICE, or Los ANGE ES, CALIFORNIA nxraacroniiijfi Application filed June 22, 1929. seriar nt. 372,979'2 An object of the invention is the provision a of a device of the character stated which will, in the case of extraction of Weeds, not sever the weed but completely remove the weed from the ground.

Another object is the provision. of an extracting device which is so arranged and constructed as to provide for a gradually increasing lifting effect upon the object to be removed.

Another object is the provision of an extracting device which when engaging Work 'will gradually increase its extracting effort on said work, and finally lift the work from an object.

Another object is the provision of an extracting device which is simple of construction, durable, efficient in operation, easy to handle, and generally superior in use and serviceability.

\Vith the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction, association, and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as shown in a certain embodiment in the accompanying drawings, described generally, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved extractor shown engaging a weed,

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the extractor and showing the fork member,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the extractor, and

Figure 4 is anelevation of a spring member used in practicing the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the improved extractor includes a'base member a, a fork b, means normally tending to separate the base and fork, and means (Z constituting a handle secured to the base a.

The handle is conventional inzifornf and ism adapted to be socketed in a member 1 secured to the hase aua, Eh'e'ba'se alconstitutes an elon- J'- gatedrst-rip having-Fa.scurvedzi'object engaging-1 foot 21 Thesaid baseaslprovidediwith"a pair outstandingrknuckles Band A; be tweeniwhich is pinned' thegforki'bi: This fork i of spa includes *aniel 'ongatedibody' or shank porti'onw 1 5 andi'aipair iof spreadfor fork.:ends'-.6-:f The fork ipor ti'on bu-rves'r irelative to the shank, as :l

best shown in Figure 3. HowevencI usether termitfork'f inlits broadest sense,"as including the 'shank asa zwell'as theendfiw'I-he curveiof' v the foot i2cis itowar'd'v'the forkv or, 1i-n'= other wordspintfront of the 'baserw'The means 0 P constitutes 'a springofithe character?shown in the figures;ialthough any springor other me-r diumsfadapted-cto normally icause separation between the base and the forkw-ould beiequa l ly satisfactory; i In the present "instance, the

spring includes aiwire me'mber havingspacedr ends lcimd 8i whichlaresattached to the base by '1 beingapassedi through openings intthe' base or in some manner 2f astenecltothebase and said wire membericoiled at 9 and 10 and provided with a'n interme'di'aterU=shaped:part 11: This U-sha-pedlzpart-bearsagainstithebackfl-of the fork eand is in slidable -irelationc'thereto. I

may provide the back of the base with'anouuan outstandingrledge lfiifor'the: fork.

The operatiomuses and advantages ofthe' invention. are as' follow st The fork is inserted at the base of the weed or whatever object is to be extracted, as shown in Figure 1 at 14. If the ground is hard, the insertion of the fork may be difficult. To this end, pressure may be brought to bear upon the ledge 13 through the medium of the foot of the operator. However, assuming that the fork is engaging the weed as shown, the handle is then moved in the direction of the arrow 15 in Figure 1 and the curved foot of the base will radually slide upon the surface of the groun as shown at 16, and compress the spring a. It is evident that the foot will sit the weed due to the gradual compression of the spring until such time as the roots give way and the spring by suddenly expanding will throw the fork upwardly and likewise throw the weed out from the ground. The principle of gradual compression of the spring to provide an increasing extracting force is thought to be novel. Furthermore, as before stated, all operations may be maintained while the operator is in an erect position.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications and variations may be made in practicing the invention in departure from the particular showing of the drawings without departing from the true spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. In an extractor, a support having a curved foot at one end and a socket at the opposite end, a handle for said socket, a fork swingingly carried by the support, resilient means between said support and fork whereby when the fork engages an object and the handle is moved, the curved foot acts as a fulcrum to cause the resilient means to be placed in compression.

2. In an extractor, a support formed with a curved foot, a handle for said support, a a

fork swingingly carried by the support, resilient means between said support and fork whereby when the fork engages an object and the handle is moved, the curved foot acts as a fulcrum to cause the resilient means to be placed in compression.

3. In an extractor, a support formed with a curved foot, a handle for the support, a fork hinged to said support, the lengthwise dimension of said fork being greater than the lengthwise dimension of the support, resilient means between the said support and fork whereby when the fork engages an obj ect and the handle is moved, the curved foot acts as a fulcrum to place the resilient means 1n compression.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification at Los Angeles, California, this 31st day of May, 1929.

WILLIAM A. RICE. 

